Crossposted to ePluribus Media
Missy the Malamute -- aka "Missy Woo" aka "Missydog" aka "Woo" aka "Woo-woo Girl" -- has been gone several years now, but we miss her presence every day. When I came across this tearjerker story about a dedicated dog who, 5 months after his owner died, still waits by the side of the road for his return, my memories of Missy and her phenomenal level of both dedication and intelligence came flooding back even more strongly.Hat-tip JRichards33 of DelphiForums Below the fold is one story of Missy's loyalty, and how -- in spite of that -- she was still an outspoken dog. Feel free to share your own story of dedication, loyalty and love in comments.
This remembrance is dedicated to all who have known, loved and lost special pooties and woozles, as well as those who still have their amazing pets to learn from, grow with and share their lives with.
The following is the story I shared:
The first time I had to travel overnight w/o her, my roommate called and told me that Missy hadn't come out of my bedroom for 2 days in spite of heavy coaxing attempts. She hadn't eaten, drank or gone to the bathroom; she was curled up under my desk and wouldn't come out.
I had my friend put me on speakerphone.
I whistled for Missy, who came out and looked at the phone. I told her to take care of my roommate, and to be a good girl -- to go outside and potty, then come in and have a bite to eat and some water.
Missy looked up at my roommate as if to say "Ok, 'cmon" then walked to the back door. She went out, went to the bathroom, came back inside, took a single bit of her kibble and a lap of water. She then returned to phone and looked at it expectantly.
My roommate, with a wry tone in her voice, relayed the events.
I told Missy she was a good girl and to listen to my roommate, and she went back to the bedroom. She would repeat the sequence the next day w/o need for the phone call whenever my roommate called her.
On the day I came home, I called and said I'd be back in "two hours"...Missy had a great sense of time, and I'd always communicated things in terms of "two hours" or "lunch time" or "dinner time" so she must've developed it then.
I was late, by almost an hour.
She greeted me when I finally got home, then disappeared for 20 minutes as if to give me time to settle in. When she figured it was time, she walked over to where I sat on the couch and started angrily "woo-wooing" at me, swinging her head emphatically as if stressing certain phrases or "woo-words."
She then turned with a flourish of her head and tail and started to walk away, stiff-legged. Her head popped up and she swung around as if remembering something else, woo-woo'd a few more choice tidbits at me, nodded her head as if in self-approval of her tirade, and stalked off.
My roommate burst out laughing.
"You were just scolded by your dog!"
Yes. Yes, I was. Thoroughly.
I have many more stories -- some, you've seen and read already as part of the Woo Tales, and others I have yet to share.
Please share yours with us in the comments below.
Namaste.